After losing her husband and being forced out of her matrimonial home, Rosaline Wanjiku worked as a security guard in Nairobi before turning her life around.
In 2009, Rosaline Wanjiku’s life took a difficult turn following the death of her husband. She found herself locked out of her matrimonial home by her in-laws forcing her to begin life again under difficult circumstances.
At the time, her son was only four years old. With her future uncertain, Wanjiku left the child in the care of her mother and travelled to Nairobi in search of employment that could help her rebuild her life.
Her journey was far from easy. From working as a security guard to struggling to find a stable place to stay, she faced challenges that tested her determination. Years later however, she says her circumstances have changed and she is now building houses for other people and helping them pay rent.
FROM KERUGOYA TO NAIROBI
After her husband's death, Wanjiku received assistance from a woman who helped her secure a security guard job at Nyayo Estate in Embakasi, Nairobi.
The employment gave her an opportunity to earn an income but she still faced the challenge of finding secure accommodation while working to provide for her family.
During this period, she stayed with a friend. However, the arrangement ended after the friend allegedly made demands that Wanjiku was unwilling to accept.
According to her, the friend demanded that she allow a man to spend the night with her or risk losing her accommodation. Wanjiku refused citing her faith and personal convictions.
She later returned to find the door locked with her belongings still inside. She never recovered her possessions including her academic certificates.
The experience added to the difficulties she was already facing as she tried to establish herself in Nairobi.
A NEW CHAPTER AFTER YEARS OF STRUGGLE
Despite the setbacks, Wanjiku continued working to improve her circumstances. Her experience highlights the difficulties that can arise when bereavement is followed by family disputes, financial uncertainty and a lack of secure housing.
For someone trying to rebuild life after losing a spouse, finding employment is only one part of the challenge. Accommodation, childcare and access to opportunities can also determine how quickly a person gets back on their feet.
Wanjiku's story reflects that struggle, particularly the difficult decision to leave her young son with her mother while seeking work away from home.
However, she says her circumstances have since changed allowing her to help people who need accommodation.
NOW BUILDING HOUSES FOR OTHER PEOPLE
In a message shared on social media, Wanjiku said she had reached a point where she was building houses for others and paying rent to help people secure places to live.
She encouraged people facing difficult circumstances not to lose hope, expressing gratitude to God for how far she had come.
Her account also describes a change in her relationship with relatives who turned her away after her husband's death. Some of them have approached her for financial assistance.
The contrast is striking: a woman who once struggled to find somewhere to sleep now says she is helping others obtain shelter.
A REMINDER THAT LIFE CAN CHANGE
Wanjiku's experience highlights the vulnerability that widows can face when family relationships break down after the death of a spouse.
It also shows how the loss of a home can affect more than a person's living arrangements. It can disrupt family life, limit opportunities and leave someone struggling to regain financial independence.
Her journey from Kerugoya to Nairobi where she worked as a security guard while trying to rebuild her life illustrates the difficult choices people sometimes make when seeking a better future.
Today, Wanjiku says she is helping others secure accommodation, turning an experience that once left her vulnerable into a reason to support people facing housing challenges.
Her story carries a message of perseverance, faith and hope: difficult circumstances do not necessarily define the rest of a person's life.
For a woman who says she once struggled to find a place to call home, helping others find shelter represents a remarkable change in circumstances.